Sheet feeding apparatus with vibrating feed and angular sheet path



g- ,1 I E. LA BOM RD 3,334,890

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS TH VIBRATING v FEED AND ANGULAR SHEET PATH Filed Sept. 2, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I26 I! [37 INVENTOR.

LEON E. LABOM BA RD,

deceased g- 8, 1967 L. E. LA BOMBARD 3,334,390

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS WITH VIBRATING FEED AND ANGULAR SHEET PATH Filed Sept. 2, 1965 4 Sheets$heet 7;

Aug. 8, 1967 1.. E. LA BOMBARD v SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS WITH VIBRATING FEED AND ANGULAR SHEET PATH 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept.

Aug. 8, 1967 L. E. LA BOMBARD SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS WITH VIBRATING FEED AND ANGULAR SHEET PATH Filed Sept.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,334,890 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS WITH VIBRATING FEED AND ANGULAR SHEET PATH Leon E. La Bombard, deceased, late of Nashua, N.H., by Mary I. La Bombard, 45 Courtland St., and Indian Head National Bank, 146 Main St., co-executors, both of Nashua, N.H. 03060 Filed Sept. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 484,772 8 Claims. (Cl. 2714) This invention relates to an improved end feed magazine apparatus for use with flat sheet-like articles, such as paper box blanks, or flat folded paper boxes.

It has long been known to provide an end feed magazine in which the blanks, or boxes, in the stack are supported on their lower edges and in which each successive endmost blank is fed through a top, or leading, edge gateway by tangential contact with a rotating feed roll.

For example, in United States Patent No. 2,630,956, to Pomeroy, of Mar. 10, 1953, flat sealing bands, immersed in liquid in an end feed magazine, are pushed along the magazine by a weighted arm, with each endmost sealing band then suction-adhered to .a feed r-oll, passed through a magazine opening, and carried to the top of the feed roll for further treatment.

For further example, in United States Patent No. 3,148,876 to Chandler et al., of Sept. 15, 1964, flat smooth sheets are carried along an end feed magazine by powered endless carriers, with each endmost sheet then bent and adhered by suction to a feed wheel, passed through a magazine gateway, and carried to the top of the feed roll for advance along a paper line.

One of the disadvantages of an end feed magazine, such as shown in the above-mentioned Patent 3,148,876, is the fact that while the paper line is at about the conventional waist level, the magazine is well below the level of the paper line. It will be seen that with long blanks, twelve inches or more in height, the magazine will be so low as to require considerable stooping over on the part of the operator to manually fill the magazine. Such long blanks are necessarily heavy, thus requiring smaller refill bundles and more frequent refills, all of which tends to reduce the efliciency of, and unduly tire, the operator.

In this invention, the end feed magazine is capable of handling long blanks of the type used, for example, in v cardboard quart-size milk bottles, .and the magazine is mounted at a height which brings the top, or leading, edge of the endmost blank substantially above the level of the paper line. Thus, the operator need not stoop over, but can repeatedly fill the magazine at about waist level height. To accomplish this desirable height for the magazine, while also accomplishing end feed upwardly, the feed roll of the invention is mounted with its axis well above the horizontal blank path, or paper line, and angular feed means is provided to guide the blanks back downwardly from the feed roll onto the horizontal blank path. In place of complex suction mechanism on the feed roll of the invention, the bottom of the end feed magazine is vibrated longitudinally with high speed, short strokes, the blanks thus being advanced along the bottom and then up an incline to fan out for preliminary separation. The vibratory effect is such that blanks can be introduced at the entrance of the magazine, in shingled, recumbent condition, and will automatically rise to stand upright on their lower edges before reaching the exit of the magazine, thus permitting direct feed to the magazine from a stacking apron, if desired, and eliminating manual refill entirely.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an end feed magazine, rotating feed roll apparatus in which the magazine is at paper line level for convenient filling,

3,334,890 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 and the feed roll axis is above paper line level to permit inspection and removal of damaged blanks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power actuated end feed magazine in which the upstanding blanks are vibrated into a close packed stack, but the endmost blanks are vibrated transversely to fan out toward the magazine gateway for easy, accurate separation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feed roll with angular feed means capable of receiving each blank from the feed roll and reverse bending it slightly to deliver it along a horizontal paper line or blank path.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the claims, the description of the drawings, and from the drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a diagramatic side elevation of the end feed apparatus of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the magazine connected to a stacking apron;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the magazine bottom;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged end view on line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a plan view thereof on line 6--6 of FIGURE 5.

The apparatus of the invention is designed to feed flat articles such as the folding paper box blanks 30, such blanks having four side wall panels, 31, 32, 33 and 34, and a glue lap 35, plus the conventional top panels and the conventional bottom panels 36, 37, 38

and 39. The upper edge 41 and the lower edge 42 of the blanks, for the particular quart-size milk carton illustrated, include projecting tabs 43 and 44 separated by recesses 45 and 46. The blanks 30 are first cut, creased and printed on a suitable well known machine and may issue therefrom in shingled formation on a stacking apron 47 (FIG. 2).

It has been the custom to package, or bundle, groups of such blanks, after printing, move, or ship, the bundles, or boxes, of printed blanks to the place of use, and then to manually place suitable lifts of the blanks into the magazine of a box folding machine 48. The printing press may be in the same room with the folding machine, or may be many miles away, but the same extensive material-handling operation has occurred, in requiring the folding machine operator to repeatedly lift heavy bundles of blanks up into the magazine or to stoop over to refill the magazine. With female operators, this has been an arduous, tiring task, especially when the blanks are long, for example, twelve by fifteen inches in the milk carton 30 shown.

The conventional paper box folding machine 48, has a horizontal blank path, or paper line, 50, along which the blanks are advanced individually and successively, by timed, or untimed, carriers 51, the paper line usually being at about waist level above the boor 52. The axis of the conventional feed roll is well below the line 50 and the conventional end feed magazine is at a corresponding low level.

In this invention, however, the axis 53, of the feed roll 54 is mounted at a spaced distance above the horizontal blank path 50, to reduce the need for the operator to stoop in loading long blanks. The feed roll mounting means 55 comprises a pair of side frame extensions, such as 56, each extending above the main frame 57, and each carry-ing suitable bearings 58 for the shaft 59 of feed roll 54. Feed roll 54 is driven in the direction of the arrow through chain 61 and sprockets 62 and 63, from the from the magazine gateway 67, on the feed side of roll 54 to a terminal end 68 on the discharge side of roll 54, the blanks being discharged tangentially as shown.

Support means 70 is provided, in the form of a unitary sub-frame assembly, including a pair of side-frame plates 71 and 72 mounted to pivot on the axis 53 of the feed roll 54 and having at least one downwardly depending post 73, on which the improved end feed magazine 121 is vertically adjustable for height. Each post 73 includes an arm 74, at its terminal end, which is pivoted to a link 75, the link 75 being pivoted at 76 to a base 77 fixed to floor 52. Thus, by fixing the link 75, at various angles on base 76, the entire support means 70 can be tilted relative to feed roll 54, while the gateway 67 maintains the same relationship to face 65. The end feed magazine 121 may be adjusted to be horizontal as in FIGURE 2, or to incline downwardly as in FIGURE 1, the latter position permitting gravity to assist in feeding, but correspondingly increasing friction between the blanks. Suitable means such as the collar 81 and set screw 82 perrnit the link 75 to be fixed at desired angular positions to secure various inclined positions, or a horizontal position, relative to the machine 48 and paper line 50. Preferably, a handle 83, worm gear mechanism 84, and chains 85 connected to magazine 121 are provided, so that turning of the handle raises or lowers the magazine for various lengths of blanks.

Support means 70 carries a lateral shaft 87 on which an adjustment arm 88 is clamped (FIGURE 6), the arm 88 supporting the feed gate housing 89, having the feed gate 92 at the terminal end thereof. The feed gate tip 93 may thus be spaced at the desired distance from the face 65 of roll 54, to pass only one blank at a time through gateway 67. Suitable threaded adjustment screws 94 are provided for adjusting arm 88.

Blank hold down means 95 includes an idler roll 96 mounted on shaft 80 and an idler roll 97. Roll 96 is journalled in plates 71 and 72 of support means 70. Roll 97 is carried on a support arm 90. An adjustment arm 91, for idler roll 97, governs the opening for blank 30 after it has passed through feed gateway 67. Hold down means 95 also includes a backer roll 98, journalled in the side frame pieces 56 of roll mounting means 55, idler roll 100 and 101 journalled in means 55, and a tension roll 102, on a spring tension arm 103 pivoted to means 55. An upper endless belt 104 is trained around the rolls to extend over the face 65 of feed roll 54, on the outside of the raised arcuate blank path 66, then under the face 105 of backer roll 98 and then along the upper straight stretch 106 parallel to the horizontal blank path 50.

Both the feed wheel 54 and backer roll 98 are of similar, relatively large diameter, and the backer roll is mounted in rear of the feed roll entirely above the paper line. Thus, each endmost blank 30, passes through gateway 67 by frictional contact with roll 54, is slightly bent in one direction as it is held down on the arcuate path 66 by the belt 104. The blank then leaves face 65 tangentially, still in contact with belt 104, to be slightly bent in the opposite direction as the belt passes under backer roll 98 and is then pressed straight under the straight stretch 106 into flatwise condition for advance along paper line 50.

The large diameter backer roll 98, idler roll 101, and upper endless belt 104, thus forms part of angular blank advancing means 108 for advancing blanks from the upper part of the raised feed roll 54 back downwardly to the level of paper line 50. Angular blank advancing means 108 also includes a lower endless belt 109 trained around rolls 110, 111 and 112, suitably journalled in machine 48 so that the upper stretch 113 of belt 109 accompanies the belt 104 in travelling under roll 98. The portion of the belt 109 travelling around roll 110 forms a flared entrance throat 114 for receiving the leading edges of each successive blank 30 carried around the arcuate path 66, and the straight upper stretch 115 of belt 109 cooperates with straight stretch 106 in delivering the blanks flatwise along paper line 50.

The face 66 of feed roll 54 is preferably of rubber and moistening means 117 is mounted below the roll, on machine 48, to wet the face 66 for better friction. Means 117 includes a water receptacle 118 and a rotating brush 119, the brush bristles being immersed in water in the receptacle and rotating into tip contact with face 66. If a timed feed is desired, the face 66 would be a rubber friction segment on the feed Wheel 54, arranged to advance one blank with each revolution of the wheel, all in a well known manner.

The end feed magazine 121, as stated above, is angularly adjustable and vertically movable, there being an elongated magazine base member 122 upon which blocks 123 and 124 are secured, each at an opposite end thereof. Powered vibration mechanism 125 is provided on magazine 121, including a magazine bottom 126 mounted to oscillate longitudinally in short strokes and vibrator means 127 operably connected to oscillate the same. Magazine bottom 126 is in the form of a pair of narrow, elongated, parallel, blank supports 128 and 129, each of inverted channel configuration and each extending from the entrance end 131 to proximate the exit end 132 thereof. Suitable, elongated, upstanding side guides 133 and 134 are provided, and guides 150 and 151 are'provided at exit end 132, so that a stack 135 of blanks 30 is supported in the magazine, with the blanks resting on their lower edges 42.

Each blank support 128 and 129 includes an element 136 and 137 connected by a leaf spring 138 or 139 to block 123 or 124, so that the support may oscillate longitudinally in the direction of feeding. The vibrator means 127 is preferably of the electro-magnetic type, the vibrator 148 illustrated being a Syntron Vibra Flow Feeder made by Syntron Co. of Homer City, Pa. When energized, the plunger 149 of vibrator 148, which is connected to the element 137, vibrates, or oscillates the blank supports 128 and 129 at high speed.

The powered vibration mechanism 125 also includes a pair of blank support extensions, 141 and 142, each preferably of nylon, and each inclining upwardly from the plane of the magazine bottom toward the gateway 67. Each extension 141 or 142 is pivotally supported on the pivoted links 143 and 144 carried by the block 124, to oscillate both longitudinally and transversely of the stack, upwardly, while supporting the endmost blanks 30 in the stack. Each extension 141 or 142 is connected by a pivoted link 145 to an element 137 whereby it is oscillated by the vibrator with the blank supports, but in an inclined plane relative thereto. The blank supports 128 and 129, and the extensions 141 and 142 are laterally adjustable in magazine 1.21, to fit within a recess 45 or 46, preferably with one side edge of the supports engaging the adjacent side edge of a recess.

In operation, the improved magazine 121 is positioned V at the desired height to bring the top edge 41 of the endmost blank 30 in the stack at the gateway 67. The gateway is substantially above the level of the horizontal blank path 50, of machine 48, so that despite the length of blanks 30, the centre of gravity of the stack 135 is relatively high and stooping to refill the magazine is avoided. As lifts of blanks are placed in the magazine in vertically disposed condition, the vibration of the blank supports and extensions, causes any blanks at the rear of the stack which may be shingled, and not normal to the supports, to advance along the supports until the stack is closely packed with all blanks normal to the supports. The endmost blanks in the stack vibrate up the incline of the extensions to fan out and separate ready for individual passage through the gateway 67. The face 65 of feed roll 54 frictionally advances each successive endmost blank through the gateway 67, around the arcuate path 66 while the blank is held down by the portion of belt 104 serving as a holddown belt. The blank is then angularly bent by the angular blank advancing means 108 out of the arcuate path 66 into the horizontal blank path 50.

In operation, it is also possible to deposit shingled blanks directly from the stacker apron discharge of a printing press onto the magazine bottom of an end feed magazine 121, the vibration mechanism 125 advancing the blanks while vibrating them to upstanding, close packed condition ready to be fed by the feed roll 54.

What is claimed is: 1. In apparatus for feeding fiat box blanks individually and successively along a horizontal blank path, said apparatus being of the type having an end feed magazine supporting a stack of said blanks on their lower edges and having a rotating feed roll segregating each successive endmost blank through a top edge gateway the combination of means mounting the axis of said roll at a spaced distance above said horizontal path with the face of said roll forming an arcuate blank path, in advance of, and at a higher level than, said horizontal path;

blank hold down means extending from the gateway of said magazine around said roll face for guiding blanks around said arcuate blank path while bending the same in one direction;

angular blank advancing means, at the end of said arcuate blank path, said angular blank advancing means receiving said blanks from said feed roll,

bending the same in the opposite direction, and delivering said blanks fiatwise on said horizontal path;

and support means mounting said end feed magazine at a predetermined level relative to the axis of said feed roll,

whereby said magazine may be conveniently loaded with long blanks without undue stooping or lifting.

2. Apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein said angular blank advancing means includes a backer roll substantially equal in diameter to said feed roll, mounted in rear thereof, on, and above said horizontal blank path and an endless hold-down belt trained over the face of said feed roll, to constitute said blank hold-down means, and thence trained under said backer roll, said belt advancing with said blanks while bending the same only in arcs of relatively large radius.

3. Apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein said angular blank advancing means includes an upper endless holddown belt and a lower endless belt forming an entrance throat for receiving said blanks said upper endless belt being trained over the face of said feed roll to form said blank hold-down means and said upper and lower belts having upper and lower parallel straight stretches in rear of said throat, and in the plane of said horizontal blank path, for delivering blanks fiatwise on said path.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a unitary sub frame assembly pivotable on the axis of said-feed roll, said assembly supporting said blank hold-down means, said gateway, and a post, on which said magazine is moavble toward and away from said gateway;

means for adjusting the angle of pivot of said assembly;

and

means for adjusting the height of said magazine on said post.

5. Apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein said end feed magazine includes a magazine bottom mounted to oscillate in short strokes, longitudinally thereof and vibrator means, operably connected to said magazine bottom for oscillating the same.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 5, wherein said magazine bottom includes a pair of narrow, elongated, parallel, blank supports, each carried by leaf springs to oscillate longitudinally and a pair of oupwardly, inclined blank support extensions, each carried by pivoted links and connected to one of said supports by a pivoted link to oscillate therewith whereby vibration of said magazine bottom causes blanks to travel up said extensions in fanned out condition for preliminary separation in advance of said gateway.

7. Apparatus as specified in claim 1, plus moistening means, including a moistening roll having its face in contact with the face of said feed roll in advance of said gateway whereby the moistened face of said feed roll has increased adherence to the blanks engaged thereby at said gateway.

8. In a sheet feeding apparatus of the type having an end feed magazine supporting a stack of box blanks on their lower edges and a rotating feed roll segregating each successive end-most blank through a top edge gateway, the combination of means mounting the axis of said roll at a spaced distance above the horizontal blank path of a blank treatmenf machine to form an arcuate, raised blank path in advance of said horizontal path;

blank hold-down means extending from said gateway around said arcuate, raised, path to the other side of said roll; angular blank advancing means, on the other side of said roll, receiving said blanks from said roll and reverse bending the same to advance said blanks along said horizontal blank path;

support means mounting said end feed magazine at a predetermined height relative to said feed roll and blank path,

and powered vibration mechanism operably connected to the bottom of said magazine, said mechanism vibrating said stack longitudinally parallel to the stack axis and vibrating the endmost blanks in said stack transversely and upwardly to fan out said endmost blanks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,759,729 8/1956 Hedlun 271-10 2,148,876 9/1964 Chandler et a1. 271-12 3,291,481 12/1966 Godlewski 271-l0 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

J. 'N. ERLICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FLAT BOX BLANKS INDIVIDUALLY AND SUCCESSIVELY ALONG A HORIZONTAL BLANK PATH, SAID APPARATUS BEING OF THE TYPE HAVING AN END FEED MAGAZINE SUPPORTING A STACK OF SAID BLANKS ON THEIR LOWER EDGES AND HAVING A ROTATING FEED ROLL SEGREGATING EACH SUCCESSIVE ENDMOST BLANK THROUGH A TOP EDGE GATEWAY THE COMBINATION OF MEANS MOUNTING THE AXIS OF SAID ROLL AT A SPACED DISTANCE ABOVE SAID HORIZONTAL PATH WITH THE FACE OF SAID ROLL FORMING AN ARCUATE BLANK PATH, IN ADVANCE OF, AND AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN, SAID HORIZONTAL PATH; BLANK HOLD DOWN MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE GATEWAY OF SAID MAGAZINE AROUND SAID ROLL FACE FOR GUIDING BLANKS AROUND SAID ARCUATE BLANK PATH WHILE BENDING THE SAME IN ONE DIRECTION; ANGULAR BLANK ADVANCING MEANS, AT THE END OF SAID ARCUATE BLANK PATH, SAID ANGULAR BLANK ADVANCING MEANS RECEIVING SAID BLANKS FROM SAID FEED ROLL, BENDING THE SAME IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND DELIVERING SAID BLANKS FLATWISE ON SAID HORIZONTAL PATH; AND SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTING SAID END FEED MAGAZINE AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAID FEED ROLL, WHEREBY SAID MAGAZINE MAY BE CONVENIENTLY LOADED WITH LONG BLANKS WITHOUT UNDUE STOOPING OR LIFTING. 